Matthew Chapter 16 Discussion Page 9

Simon means Unstable, like sand!
Peter means Stable, like a Rock!

Jesus said, Thou art Peter (Stable, Rock) and upon "THIS" Rock I will build My Church.

Jesus is saying, "I cant build My church on people that are unsure, doubters, unstable, unconfident, ....But I will build My Church on those that are Sure, Stable, Committed, Confident of the very thing!!!

Just my thoughts!

A man can gain what ever he wants in this world but in the end he lost the eternal life if he fail to follow all GOD's commanments

Jesus asked the question, "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of God." The word Christ or the anointed one had a special meaning to the Jews. They knew it to mean God Himself, who would come and deliver his people from their enemies. "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past." "And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord's strength. ..." ( Micah 5)

Isiah said of him, "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God. ..." ( Isaiah 9:6)

Don't be confused by the term "Son of God." It is just the way God spoke of himself when he was born as a human.

So the good news is, God has come to save his people. And his name is Jesus the Christ.

I think you're making a tortured explanation of a straightforward prophecy that turned out to be wrong.
...Unless there's a 2,000-year-old guy walking around.
"Kingdom" means "kingdom." Don't get metaphorical all of a sudden, if you take the rest of the Bible literally.

Father, We come to you in the Mighty name of Jesus Christ, and we asked that you would bless us with the strength, and the power to let go of this life, and bless are focus, to be, and to remain on doing and completing your will, just like Christ...... Grant us the spirit of faithfulness, and fill our hearts with true Love, for our neighbor.

Prepare us, and keep us denying ourselves, that our minds be not on the things of this world, but on the glory of God, and the Kingdom of Heaven........

Keep our tongues from speaking evil to our brothern, and bless our hearts from being able to hold on to any offences.

We invite you into are lives, and our hearts, and ask you, if you would drive for us; For we declare that you are the better driver than us, and that we want you, and that we can not make it to you, without you driving for us............. We want to be right Father; We don't want to be wrong.

Save us and hear our humble cry, and everyone who agrees, Say Amen!!!

The apostles' reply would indicate the belief in reincarnation.
Matthew 16:14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

What is 777 insight on? I am so sick of people talking about all this anti-Christ and the end of times. How the bible foretells all of its secrets to you or anyone else. Did you forget that, and I paraphrase, no man knoweth the hour of my coming... or.. even the angels don't know when He is coming back. This crap about the "rapture", which happened in 70 a.d., in the time of Josiah has already happened with the destruction of Jerusalem and Judea. Christ came, saved His people, and when He comes back it is for one reason: to claim those He has already saved on the cross and that are still on this earth. He did not come to save the "world" for if He did He would have failed for people go still to hell. And Christ finished His work. ...I ask you again, doeth not the potter have power over the clay? Put down your Left behind books and stop interpreting the bible yourself. It has already been interpreted for you. May God be with you.

These are exactly the words that Adam should have said to Eve when she offered the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to him. These are exactly the words that any true follower of Christ should say to his wife when she offers something to him that he knows is against the teaching of Jesus. That was the problem in the Garden then and is the problem in the world today. In short the men are more concerned about their wives, who are more concerned about the things of this world, and ultimately they are both doing the work of Satan and not following Jesus or obeying God (again). This is at the root of the teaching of Christ and Adam failed and the men of this age are still failing. This doesn't mean men have to be hostile to wives. They can do this in love. They simply have to put God first.

I was given to meditate on Matthew 16:8

Peter, upon this rock.

Peter said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus replied that Peter was blessed because God had revealed that truth in him. I believe this connection with God is the Holy Spirit of spiritual knowledge. Flesh and blood can not reveal it without spiritual knowledge first coming from God by the Holy Spirit. "Thou art Peter" is proclaiming that Peter, a man, is flesh and blood therefore not Divine. The "rock" that is the foundation of the church is the Divine Holy Spirit that filled Peter with knowledge. Flesh and blood can enter the gates of hell but one filled with the Holy Spirit of God is blessed with life that hell cannot take away. The keys of Heaven are the laws of God and acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God given to and understood by Peter because he was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the rock that is the foundation of the church. Evil and death have no power over the Holy Spirit.

Verses 13 to 17 are very important because Jesus wants all to know that when Jesus is called "Son of man" it is in error. Jesus is not the Son of man, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He praises Peter for understanding that fact. Jesus does not want anyone to call him the Son of man. The Son of man is evil = the Antichrist. Knowing that evil men wanted to kill him, Jesus asked not to be pointed out as Jesus the Christ so he could prevent being captured until due time. "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." The father of the Antichrist is Satan and with his fallen angels the glory of evil is WAR. When the Son of man sets up his kingdom in full Power after the WW3 peace treaty is signed (which will be broken and war will resume) then Christians will taste death. Jesus speaks of the Son of man in the third person "he", if he was referring to himself he would have said the personal "I". Son of man will judge according to works (like how much money people have and how important are their job skills). Christians will be asked to deny Christ as Savior or be killed. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." Jesus does not judge based on works alone (he does require one to have love and charity). Jesus explains that if you are a Christian and will call Jesus, "the Son of God", then you will lose your earthly life but Jesus will save your soul and give you eternal life. Verse 28 explains that some disciples will die at the hand of the Son of man (an AntiChrist) because they will refuse to deny Jesus is their Savior and the Son of God. Satan already has started a kingdom on earth as explained ... "I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan ( Revelation 2:9)".

Carl’s comment was great, how do people over look verse 28 and keep looking for yet another coming.

I would love to send this to Ross earl Hoffman too.

@Jan,
About verse 18- when Jesus states that upon this rock I will build my church. Jesus is making a direct reference to himself as the rock using 3rd person singular. Christ is the head of the church Ephesians 5:23, I Corinthians 10:4. That's why the church is also called the body of Christ, Ephesians 4:12-16. As for Peter being the 1st Pope or holy father, Matthew 23:9 states to call no man on earth your (spiritual) farther, for one is your (spiritual) father in heaven. That church is building on the rock of Peter is in serious trouble when Jesus states 4 verses later that Peter is become like Satan momentarily (verse 23) and Peter is married. Matthew 8:14 which makes me ask the question why priests, bishops, cardinals and popes do not marry? I Timothy 3:2 states that a bishop (Pastor, Deacon) to be the husband of one wife which is where one would find the criteria of a bishop, deacon.

Matthew 16:13-18 “When Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, saying whom do men say that I the son of man am?” 14 “And they the disciples said some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets”. You notice the word “they” is two are more of the disciples answering Jesus. 15 “He [Jesus] saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am?” Now Jesus would like to know who the disciples think Jesus is, the word [them] implies he is asking all of the disciples who am I? 16 “And Simon Peter answered and said, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.” You understand Peter was the only one to answer Jesus. 17 “And Jesus answered and said unto him, [Peter] blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:” [Why was he blessed?] “Because flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven.” The word reveal means to uncover, to make known through divine inspiration or revelation. Peter had a divine revelation from God the father that Jesus was the son of God, all the people thought Jesus was a prophet, just a man. 18 “And I say also unto the, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Okay what is the rock that Jesus was talking about? The answer has to be the reveled knowledge from God the father. Satan would have no way of stopping a divine revelation from God the father to a disciple. This is what is wrong with the church today they do not know about divine revelation, and that it is available to the church today. How do I get it? Remember Jesus said whatever you asked the father in my name he will give it to you. I would pray this prayer; Father, teach me something about your word in the name of Jesus. Now if you do not believe this is right, go ask Paul in Galatians 1:11-12, and 2:1-2, and Ephesians 1:16-23, and 3:1-21. Paul had a encounter with Jesus own the road to Damascus, Paul received divine revelation about who Jesus was. In the book of Galatians, Paul talks about receiving revelation knowledge from Jesus, and he says he did not receive this knowledge from man. Remember Paul wrote two thirds of the New Testament, where did he get it from? Jesus Christ gave him.

@ Norman,
Remember that the bible is mainly written for believers not unbelievers. Simon Peter was a great man of God, but believers can at times with good intentions be a barrier for God’s will to be done. Then the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Peter at this particular moment was being used by Satan to try and halt God’s plan of redemption by trying to stop Jesus from being taken and going to the cross of Calvary and stop the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ our lord and saviour.

Why did the corporate or group take out the name of God?

Verse 23, "get thee behind me, Satan", a strange way to speak to a man whom many insist he had made the Papa or 'Holy Father' in verse 18.

Nothing is better than life and I would rather lose everything and gain life in Christ Jesus.

At times we spend money we are not supposed to, at times we walk with the wrong people, at times we do things that grieve the Holy spirit. All these things we earn at the expense of our souls.

I believe that Matthew 16:18 is referring to "the Rock" (metaphorically) being the foundation - of His Church. His Church are those that believe He is the Son of God and follow his two commandments in the New Testament (after all, if those two are followed - all 10 old ones are also) I think he said "that thou art Peter" to emphasize by stating his name, that he is correct (He is Christ, Son of God & upon that rock - foundation of your life in Christ) and though he is just a man, he will be given the keys to the Kingdom and Hades will be kept at bay, by believing He is Christ. By emphasizing Peter's name, it stresses to me that I can replace my name in there, because I believe!!!! Yeah God, Jesus, Holy Spirit

I think we are in those times

riches on earth will never save one's soul. God is not interested in what we have, but He is after our soul..

WHERE DO I START .WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES,ETC. SO LETS NOT SEE FROM A HUMANISTIC POINT OF VIEW.HE WASN'T CALLING PETER SATAN HE WAS SPEAKING TO THE ENTITY THAT WAS CONTROLLING PETERS MIND AT THE TIME.HE HAD JUST TOLD HIM HIS FATHER HAD REVEALED THIS TO HIM THE BIBLE SAYS "GIVE NO PLACE TO THE DEVIL"SO WHERE DO WE GIVE HIM PLACE?OUR MINDS REMEMBER AT THE END JESUS TOLD PETER"THE DEVIL DESIRES TO SIFT U AS WHEAT,BUT I PRAYED FOR U THAT YOUR FAITH FAIL
U NOT,ETC.HE KNEW SOMETHING HAD GIVEN PETER AN EVIL THOUGHT.watch this"GUARD YOUR HEART(MIND)WITH DUE DILIGENCE FOR OUT OF IT FLOWS THE ISSUES OF LIFE u see AS A MAN THINKETH SO IS HE ITS NOT WHAT YOU SEE WITH THE NATURAL EYE THAT DERAILS YOU BUT ITS WHAT YOU DONT PAY ATTENTION TO IN THE INVISIBLE THAT WILL hear this"THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL BUT MIGHTY THROUGH GOD FOR THE PULLING DOWN OF STRONG HOLDS watch this CASTING DOWN IMAGINATIONS AND EVERY HIGH THING THAT EXALTS ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD BRINGING EVERY THOUGHT(EVERY-ALL)INTO CAPTIVITY INTO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST I COULD GO ON BUT I MUST GO ...JUST THINK ON THIS N LET ME KNOW

If people really understood how reallly huge this statement is they would run find salvation as quickly as possible. Jesus our Lord is saying that he places more value on one human soul than all of the worlds wealth right now there are at least 7 billion people on the planet that would me in Gods eyes it would take at least 7 billion planets just like ours to compare in other words your life and my life more valuable to God than all the worlds riches Thank God for His Awesome Love.

Jesus is the son of God and want's each of us to know that He is the son of God

Response to Edrizal's questions of 8/22/11 about the "binding and loosing" of Matt.16:18. To me, this is describing the keys to the kingdom of heaven. In other words, to Peter and the church based on the premise "Thou (Jesus) art the Christ, the son of the living God", Jesus will give the power to bind and loose that which pertains to the realm of God's will being fulfilled, even while we are on earth. Believers in the solid rock, Jesus, now are authorized to bind the underworld powers and loose their victims like Jesus did while he was on earth. See John 14:12. We've got the power in the Name of Jesus. See also Eph. 2:6, 2 Cor. 10:4-5, 2 Pet.1:3-4.

V 16-23
It's worth making a summary of the process and it's stages which result from a prophet level event occurring within a community. Scripture describes it in various ways, good examples of which being EXODUS and ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

The prophetic events occur in an evil and sinful society: ALL members of the society are sinners greater or lesser. Government is corrupt, self-interested violent  and oppressive, controlling all aspects of plebeian life  and creating it's own morality to which all must conform and which revolves around the rightful invincibility of wealth - however acquired, ultimately.

The prophecy is ALWAYS the same. It pinpoints sin, the consequence of sin, and the personal internal conditions which are responsible for sinful conduct, individual and communal. The individual is invited to  embark on the pilgrimage of salvation to avoid the ultimate consequences of it's own sinful life.The individual has assurance that this course of action will be protected in terms of the individual's living needs by the Cosmic processes whose creation encompasses purity of consciousness.

The prophetic event attracts huge attention in the people who are desperately unhappy with their daily life and their  awareness that the prophetic assertion that material gratifications bring only momentary happiness at best is truthful

But the  fact is no-one at all believes literally the idea that nature  will support those who reject materialism in favour of seeking to conquer their own demons and subordinating the rest of their life to this priority.  

The ruling class perceiving the effect of the prophet  on the people begin the process of emasculation of the prophetic discourse  from which individual ruling class members will benefit financially. They understand the attraction of the polemic and also that people don't take it as literal truth which makes it ideal for the rulers' dissemination of fantasy, which is the lingua franca of bourgeois and working class life 

The prophet, if it is an individual human, is either got rid of, or if it perceives its duty is to compromise, co-operates with the creation of an institutional disseminator ultimately under the control of the ruling authority. This individual prophet believes that incomplete messianism is better than none at all, despite the necessary doctoring of the teaching that will be necessary for survival at institutional  level

The tools of the ruling class are a group of upper middle class people who have encountered the prophet and become envious of the prophet's wisdom and status. They become leaders of the new institution imbued with the messianic spirit, blissfully unaware of their own spiritual shortcomings and intent on building a hugely successful institution in whose reflected glory they will bask just as they perceived the prophet did. These will likely have invested funds in setting up the institution they intend to govern
They in turn  recruit a force of "teachers" and/or ""leaders""who will have paid substantial sums for their qualifications and consequent right to exercise authority within the institution. They will have  extensive academic understanding  of the doctrines involved but of course reject absolutely any suggestion that the prophetic teaching be taken literally. 

They in return recruit followers who become involved in all The ritualistic games and symbolic iconography designed to distinguish their institution from all other similar purveyors of delusion. They create the wealth of the institution.

From this will  spring the internecine conflicts which can be anything from bitter commercial rivalry through vandalism, thuggery, terrorism to out  and out war! Empires,global  business and cultures all live and die in the ignorance propagated by world rulers this way  in the name of truth.

The prophet originally arrived to warn people of the error they are in, the consequence that will follow and the steps required to resolve the negative destiny everyone faces as a result.  It ends up by being reprocessed into a simple message: carry on sinning, but think differently. Don't think at all preferably. RIP the human race. Ultimately

The alternative is for prophetic conduits, fully recognising their own sinful natures,and  recognising the eternal nature of the knowledge bestowed upon them, to eschew formal , community methods of evangelism and to spread the word only when suitable opportunities present themselves during the course of and as an integral part of their own personal pilgrimages as seeker, devotee or yogi, and which they have embarked upon as instructed. This choice is frequently referred to by Jesus, who has a low opinion of those destined to form a church in His name ("Get thee behind me Satan").

It's therefore open to debate whether the former with only a one-to-one procedure operated by a select few individuals over the millennia is more effective in creating  world awareness of Truth than the latter-  institutions which have mass reach but offer compromised versions of the eternal truth which promulgators  themselves obviously don't regard as literal truth and which followers are taught as a kind of cosy  membership code. What is true though is that whereas the individuals in the first category have the possibility to achieve a successful conclusion to their own personal pilgrimage, the members of institutions who deliberately teach false doctrines for the sake of institutional security and their own personal mundane glory, will simply remain in the cycle of life and death in which all sinners are eternally trapped, running the risk of remaining thus when physiological life is terminated during the first stage of Kali yuga which we are currently in, a state they will be forced to endure for maybe 500,000,000,000,000,000,000,000  solar or even galactic years.

So the essence of the summary is that the Holy knowledge which has been made available over the years is not just something to be passed on to others and used as a source of income and self-promotion: it is the key to happiness for every living person to reach out for after abandoning a way of life which brings nothing but woe , punctuated, for the lucky ones, by moments of relief,  and inescapable by any other means, for all.The key, the tools to overcome and dissolve each and every one of our individual legion of personal demons, if we just trust and believe , and the guidance to keep us on the strait and narrow which is what we were all created for


  

There can be only 1 head of the Church & that is Jesus. He paid the supreme price for it. He said " Flesh and Blood has not revealed this" It was the Holy Spirit that revealed that to Peter. We are all just servants. There is no evidence to support that Peter was ever in Rome. What I got out of this scripture is the only way we able to stand in Our Salvation; Is to have have an experience that flesh and Blood has revealed. The one we will never forget